Rockies Fall Hard

Oct 25, 03:39 AM

Current Headlines: By Jim Salisbury, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Oct. 25--BOSTON -- If a listening device had been planted in the Colorado Rockies' dugout before Game 1 of the World Series last night, it might have picked up this sound in the first inning:

Gulp.

Josh Beckett welcomed the Rockies to their first World Series by striking out the side in the top of the first inning. Beckett fired fastballs, each measured at 97 m.p.h., by Willy Tavares, Kaz Matsui and Matt Holliday.

Following the lead of their starting pitcher, the Boston Red Sox scored three runs in the first inning, one on Dustin Pedroia's leadoff homer.

It seemed as if the Red Sox would never stop scoring runs, but eventually they did. When the night ended, they had a 13-1 victory and a one-game lead in the series.

No team had ever scored more than 12 runs in Game 1 of a World Series.

The Red Sox are on a rampage. They have won their last four games, including three in the American League Championship Series, by a combined scored of 43-6.

The Rockies, who entered Game 1 having won 21 of their past 22 games, were completely outclassed.

But for what reason?

Were the National League champions rusty after a layoff of more than a week?

Or was it Beckett?

Rust or the ruthless righthander?

Here's a hint: Beckett was brilliant, allowing just one run over seven innings and striking out nine in notching his fourth win of this postseason.

"You saw a real good Beckett and our inability to shut down innings," said Colorado manager Clint Hurdle. "We're a no-excuse ball club. We got outplayed tonight."

Colorado ace Jeff Francis was no match for the Red Sox' rugged lineup. Pedroia hit the second pitch thrown by the lefthander over the left-field wall, and that set a tone for the evening.

The Sox pushed across two more runs in the first inning and it was smooth sailing from there, especially with Beckett on the mound. His career postseason record is now 6-2.

"A couple innings into the game, he started getting comfortable with his breaking ball," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said, "and that made him really effective."

Francis lasted just four innings and was charged with six runs.

Boston scored seven times in the sixth. Three of their runs came on bases-loaded walks by Colorado reliever Ryan Speier.

The Red Sox had 17 hits, including eight doubles.

The Rockies have been The Story of the postseason. They won 14 of their final 15 regular-season games to claim the National League wild card. They didn't let up in the first two rounds of the postseason, sweeping the Phillies and Diamondbacks.

Colorado's reward for being so good in the first two rounds was no reward at all -- eight days off. That's an eternity in baseball, a sport built on the daily routine of the 162-game season.

"We need to play a game," Hurdle said before batting practice. "This is the next challenge, the last challenge, and the last opportunity. Our guys have been relaxed, they've been focused. They're really looking forward to playing a game. All of us are."

The Rockies' eight-day break marked the longest a team had been idle before the start of a World Series since the 1910 Philadelphia Athletics sat for 10 days before defeating the Chicago Cubs in five games. Connie Mack's A's showed no rust in Game 1 of that series, winning it, 4-1, behind Hall of Famer Chief Bender's three-hitter.

During their layoff, the Rockies played simulated games in Denver.

But simulated games against teammates in Denver aren't quite as intense as the real thing against Beckett in Boston. Especially this postseason, where Beckett has been overpowering. How overpowering? In three previous starts this postseason, he was 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 23 innings.

Beckett's work had even caught the eye of his Colorado counterpart, Francis.

"He's been everything you think about when you think of dominance," Francis said. "I think he's shown that he's one of the best pitchers in baseball all year, not just this postseason."

Leading up to the game, Francis said he couldn't get caught up in who the opposing pitcher was.

"I just have to go out and try to do my job," he said.

Francis, too, had been impressive in the postseason, winning both of his starts, including one in Philadelphia, while allowing just three runs in 122/3 innings.

He wasn't close to that pitcher last night.

Riding the momentum of Beckett's virtuoso performance in the top of the first, the Sox hitters dug in and bruised Francis for three runs in the bottom of the inning. The uprising started with Pedroia's homer and included an RBI single by Manny Ramirez and an RBI double by J.D. Drew.

David Ortiz doubled in a run in the second to make it 4-1. Jason Varitek doubled home two in the fourth to make it 6-1. Francis didn't come out for the fifth, but the Red Sox kept on rolling with seven more runs in the inning to open a 13-1 lead.

Maybe Game 2 tonight will be a little more competitive.

Rookie Ubaldo Jimenez will look to stop the Red Sox. Curt Schilling, a hero of World Series past, will pitch for Boston.

Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.

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